


What Shall We Die For?

by PlatypussGirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive Relationships, DeanCas - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, M/M, POTC - Freeform, Pirate AU, Pirates, SPN - Freeform, Sailing, Supernatural - Freeform, casdean - Freeform, ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 05:41:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8132483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlatypussGirl/pseuds/PlatypussGirl
Summary: After the colleague of John Winchester never reached the East India Company's sugar plantation he's supposed to inspect, John and Mary left Dean with his governess to go in his place. They promised to be back in a couple weeks, but they never returned. When his governess dies of swamp sickness and Dean ends up in the orphanage he is determined to become a sailor, so he can travel to India and find his parents.Only when he turns eighteen and Dean's old enough to leave the orphanage things don't go entirely as planned and he ends up on the wrong ship...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Yes yes yes, I'm back baby! But this time I'm gonna do it a little differently. I'm going to take my time for once!  
> Which means I won't upload regularly and I'm not going to push myself to finish this thing as soon as possible because it will only end up sloppy and that's a shame!  
> So beware, ye impatient mateys! I'm going to chill out on this one ;)
> 
> Anyway, enjoy :D

“I-India?” Dean muttered. “You’re leaving?” His lip started to quiver and tears gathered in his eyes. He was only four years old, but he understood that India wasn’t anywhere close to home. Dean looked up at his mother, ready to burst into tears.  
The warm light from the setting sun that invaded his room through the open window bathed Mary Winchester in a yellow glow as she sat on the side of Dean’s bed. She sighed and gently cupped Dean’s cheeks with her soft hands, brushing away the tears with the pads of her thumbs.

“Oh sweetheart.” She sighed. “There’s no need for tears. We will be back in a couple of weeks, you will see that the time will be passed before you know it and we’ll be back here with you.” She looked up at her husband, who was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. “Isn’t that right, John?”

Dean sniffled. “But why can’t I come with you?” He asked with big eyes.

“Because India is no place for little boys like you, Dean.” John said with a sad frown. He pushed himself up straight and walked to the other side of Dean’s bed, sitting opposite of his wife and grabbed Dean’s hand.

“Besides, we’re going to travel on a ship. It’s going to be a very long, dangerous journey and it’s safer for you to stay here, with miss Moseley. We don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” His voice was low and stern, but his eyes said it all. He hated leaving his little boy behind, but they simply had no choice.

“And there always has to be a man in this house.” He said with a soft smile and winked. “Somebody needs to take care of miss Moseley and Po.”

At the mention of his name the old German shepherd that was sleeping in the corner of Dean’s room lifted his head. The dog was originally called Colonel, but when Dean learned to talk and started calling him Potty they changed his name.

“See? You won’t be alone and we shall be back before you know it.” Mary said with a sad smile. “And look at this.” She lifted the little silver locket pendant that was hanging from her neck and opened it. There was a little picture of a boy inside.  
  
“That’s me.” Dean said softly.

Mary nodded. “So you are with us wherever we go. We will bring you lots of presents. And…” She looked at John. “When we come back we have something exciting to tell you.”

Dean’s wet eyes widened a little bit. “Really? What is it?” He asked hopefully.

“That’s a surprise, Dean, so you will have something to look forward to.” John chuckled. “But I’m sure you will be just as excited as we are.” He said and gave Mary a warm smile. “Now, let’s pray, shall we?”

  


It wasn’t the first time John went away for some time, but never as far as India. It was John’s job to keep an eye on several plantations owned by the East India Trading Company. Most of plantations John was supposed to look after were located in America and the Caribbean islands.

The man who was going to India to inspect the sugar plantations never reached his destination, leaving the job to John to go in his place. And for this journey, Mary came along. She rarely did travel with John and this seemed to be a special occasion since John was allowed to take her with him.

They left that very night on a trading vessel from the EIC.

\------

“Dean, come inside, you’ve been there all day.” Miss Moseley said with a sigh. For weeks Dean had spent hours sitting on the steps of the front porch, his father’s pocketwatch clenched in his fist. He stared at the road that lead to their house as the trees surrounding the house casted long shadows on the dirt from the lowering sun with Po loyally sitting by his side.

“But what if they come back and I’m not here?” Dean protested, not taking his eyes off that road. “Please, Missouri. Just a little longer.”

The wooden floorboards creaked as miss Moseley walked to the stairs and sat down next to Dean. “They will come back, Dean. But they won’t be back any sooner by sitting here all day. Time goes by faster when you are doing something. Why don’t you go play with Po in the living room, hm? I will prepare some tea and biscuits and I could tell you another pirate story if you like.”

Dean rested his elbows on his knees and leaned with his chin on his hands with a shrug. They had promised him they’d be back soon, just a couple of weeks and they would have something exciting to tell Dean. What if something had gone wrong? John had told Dean himself that the journey was a dangerous one.  
Maybe the ship got lost in a storm, maybe it had hit a reef and sunk, maybe…

Dean wasn’t afraid of pirates. Miss Moseley had assured him that the ship his parents were sailing on was strong and big and had canons. Whenever pirates would even try to get close the ship would send those bloody pirates to the bottom of the ocean. And even if they had managed to board the ship, John would be there to defeat them all.

Miss Moseley shook her head and placed a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Stop sulking, boy. Come inside, I need your help with that tea. We can go outside later to walk Po.”

“Fine.” Dean grumbled and dropped his head as he stood up, trudging back inside, followed by miss Moseley and Po.

The big, colonial house was so quiet now. At first Dean didn’t really notice, but as weeks turned into months he started to miss the little noises more and more.

The dull sound of voices behind the door of his father’s office whenever he had a business meeting. The soft humming of his mother while she was baking a pie.

Sure, there was still the clatter of pans in the kitchen when miss Moseley was cooking and the scratch of dog's paws on the wooden floor when Po was wandering around, but without his parents it wasn’t really home anymore. The warmth and familiarity were missing, his mother’s lullabies before he went to sleep and the kiting in the backyard with his father, he missed it.

So he sat there, on the steps of the front porch with Po sitting next to him. Every evening until miss Moseley had to threaten him with the carpet-beater to come inside and eat.

It went on for nearly a year, until one day miss Moseley didn’t come outside to call him in for tea.

  


Dean was brought to the orphanage one week later. He was only supposed to stay there until miss Moseley got better and could take care of him again, but swamp sickness eventually took her life.  
Dean never heard what became of Po, but he hoped that he’d live on a nice farm with a loving family and that once his parents came back they would pick up Po and move back into that big house and live happily ever after. But as long as they didn’t come back Dean would stick to his plan.

He was going to become a sailor and travel to India the exact day he was released from the orphanage.

\------

“I’ll come after you.” Adam said softly.  


Dean turned his gaze away from the horizon as they sat on the end of one of the docks. “Adam, you shouldn’t. You’ve heard the stories, it’s dangerous out there!”

Adam sighed and looked down at his feet as they hung over the edge where the sea water sloshed around the dock pillars. “But I want to come with you. You’re the closest thing to family I’ve got.”

Dean bit his lip and looked at the thin line where the ocean met the pastel orange sky again. “I know. But you can’t ever come after me, you understand? When I get out of there I’m going to get on the first ship to India and I’m not going to stop for anything or anybody. My parents are out there somewhere. I’ve waited nearly thirteen years I’m not going to wait for you to get out.”  
  
“But it’s only two months!” Adam protested. “Can’t you wait for two more months to get out there?! I thought we were friends!”

Dean didn’t have an answer for that. Yes, he cared about Adam. He would want nothing more than to wait, but he couldn’t. For fourteen years he had waited. Fourteen years people told him to just give up hope. But Dean knew that his family was still out there, a gut feeling like a little flame that kept his hope alive that one day he’d see them again. Besides, even though Adam was only two months younger than Dean, he knew Adam wasn’t cut out to be sailor. He couldn’t swim, and the one time they had the guts to climb on board of a docked ship Adam got seasick after a grand total of fifteen minutes. On a _docked_ ship! The poor guy wouldn’t make it out of the port without vomiting all over the ship if he got recruited to sail out on the open sea.

“Prick.” Adam hissed and pulled up his legs before standing up and walking away, leaving Dean alone at the end of the dock.

“Oi, don’t you think you should head back home with your friend, lad?” Mr. Singer’s voice sounded from behind him. Dean refused to look up or speak. He just shrugged and stared at the ships in the distance.

Bobby sighed and sat down next to Dean, he reeked of booze, like he always did. Dean was still impressed by how sober this man could act while he was definitely drunk on brandy and rum and whatever else the tavern had in stock. “Talk to me, Dean. What’s bothering ya?”

Dean shrugged again, he didn’t feel like talking. But this was old Robert Singer, the man who taught him all about sailing there was to know. The man who gave Dean a job repairing sails and braiding ropes. This man was the reason Dean knew he could get a job on a ship and go to India… Find his family.

“I can’t wait for Adam.” Dean sighed and hung his head, staring at the waves going under the dock.  
  
“But he’s like a brother to you.” Bobby said.  
  
Dean nodded. “I know, but I just can’t. Adam isn’t made for sailing, he’s going to die out there. I want him to be happy. _Safe_ and happy. Adam deserves to find himself a nice girl, get married and have children. He wouldn’t last two days on the ocean!” He said and looked up at Bobby. The bearded man looked back at him with understanding eyes and nodded.  
  
“I know you care about him, but you can’t protect him forever. Knowing Adam he’s going to get on the next ship and go after you. You’re all he’s got.”  
  
“Nonsense.” Dean muttered. “I’m not the only boy in the orphanage. There are others there he cares about-”  
  
“But not as much as he cares about you. It wouldn’t surprise me if he and the other boys would man a boat themselves and go out there to find you. They adore you, Dean. You’re like the big brother to them all.”

“Yeah, well I can’t take care of them forever. When I’m getting out tomorrow I’m gone. And I’m not coming back until I find my parents.” Dean said and looked at the ship that was just docking on the other side of the port.

Bobby shook his head. “You know what, boy. You know that I don’t agree with you. I’m not going to tell you again, because I know you won’t listen. But I care about you and I want you to be happy. I taught you all I know for a reason and… And I just happened to know that there’s a ship looking for a crew.”  
  
Dean’s eyes lit up a little bit. “Are they sailing to India?”  
  
Bobby shrugged. “I don’t know about its course, son, but I do know that it’s headed East. Maybe it’s Cuba, maybe it’s Europe, doesn’t matter. It’s a bit closer to where you want to go. Some lad named Gryphon is recruiting in the Hog’s Hind. They’re leaving tomorrow, so with a bit of luck you can still get on board.”

Dean threw his arms around Bobby and hugged him tightly. “Thank you so much, Bobby. So so much!” He exclaimed.

Bobby grumbled something inaudible about Dean being a girl and pushed him away. “Save it for the boys, they’re gonna need it more than I do. Now get your ass back to the orphanage. We don’t want to get you in trouble on your last day because you stayed out too late again, do we?”

Dean nodded and jumped up, then helped Bobby back on his feet as well. Bobby put a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “If I don’t see you again tomorrow, good luck. I hope you find what you need.”  
  
Dean smiled. “My parents.” He sighed.

Bobby shook his head with a lopsided grin and dropped his hand. “Dean, my boy, you’ve grown up to be a fine young man. Please do yourself a favor, know when to stop looking and start a new adventure.”

Dean just rolled his eyes and nodded. “Sure thing, Bobby. But don’t worry. Next year I’ll be back here. And I’ll have my mom and dad and we’ll live our happily ever after and I’ll find myself a beautiful girl and have four kids.”

Bobby nodded. “I’ll pray for you, Dean. Now go back, it’d be a shame if you missed that boat tomorrow.” He said.

Dean went back to the orphanage, but not before giving Bobby one more manly hug, nearly squeezing the living daylight out of him and leaving him gasping and wheezing on the dock, cursing at him as he ran back into the streets of New Orleans.

  


Adam wouldn’t as much as look at him when Dean finally came back to the orphanage from the docks. Dean had tried to talk to him, but Adam was furious. He would’ve written him a letter, but Adam never learned how to read so it was simply useless. He did tell the other boys he would be back in New Orleans in one year, he hoped that his words would somehow reach Adam through the other orphans. Because he would. He’d come back for Adam. He’d do anything to make sure Adam was safe and happy, which was anywhere but on a ship.

Dean had given his old clothes to the boys who needed them and packed one extra pair of trousers, a shirt and some socks. He threw on his jacket, put on his shoes and left before breakfast the next day.

It hurt to leave Adam behind without getting to say goodbye, but maybe Adam would be angry enough to not be an idiot and follow him when he got out.

The muddy streets of New Orleans were covered in a low hanging fog. The little flames in the lanterns on the sides of the road barely managed to illuminate the way, but Dean knew where he was going. With some luck there were still sailors in the Hog’s Hind and he could ask for directions to this captain Gryphon, the man Bobby had been talking about.  
Dean felt like he had bugs in his gut, thrumming with anticipation, buzzing with every turn he took until he had reached his destination. Every sludgy step he took felt like a step closer to his family. A step closer to home, wherever it would be.  
  
He knew the tavern, he had been there many times before. The sailors would like him, buy him a drink for helping carrying the ropes or sails.  
He had gone back to the orphanage, stupid drunk and way after curfew. The constable had dragged his sorry ass back home more times than he could remember. In the last two years Adam had taken care of him and keep him out of trouble.

Dean smiled sadly at the memory as he stood before the old dilapidated facade of the tavern.

Even though the Hog’s Hind was one of the more fancy taverns, Dean could smell the stench of booze, sweat and piss from the other side of the street. A smell he had to just gnaw through when he walked in for what must’ve been the hundredth time, but once inside for a while he’d barely notice it anymore.

The first thing Dean noticed when he walked inside was how big the place actually was when it wasn’t packed with drunken sailors and working class. The walls seemed further away from each other and it wasn’t as hot and musty.  
The second thing he noticed was Ellen, the wench who was cleaning the tables. Well… Trying to make them less sticky.  
She looked up as Dean walked in and smirked.  
  
“Well well well, look what the cat dragged in!” Ellen said loudly. “Little Dean! What are you doing here so early?”

Dean grinned. “It’s my birthday today.” He said smug and Ellen’s eyes widened a little bit when the penny dropped.

“Ah, of course! You’re free now, aren’t ya? Bobby told me about your plans. You still wanna go down that road, boy? I don’t have to tell you about what happened to my little Joe, right?” Ellen said, sounding slightly concerned.

Dean bit his lip and looked down. He had heard the stories about Joe Harvelle. He was sixteen when he wanted to join his father on a whaler, without a doubt the most dangerous job there is. Hunting whales meant years at sea. The danger of the cockboat being destroyed by a breaching whale or an oil fire were all too real.

Neither Joe or his father ever returned, and the whaler was never seen again.

“I know, Ellen… I know.” He said softly before looking at her again.  
  
“I practically saw you grow up. I don’t want you to meet the same fate as my boy. You’re too sweet.” Ellen said with a sad smile.  
  
Dean took her hand and looked in her soft eyes. “I’m gonna be fine. I promise. I’m just going to India to find my parents and then I’m coming back home. I’ll be back in a year, wait and see. I’ll be back and I’ll drink all your ale!” He chuckled. “Now can you _please_ tell me where I can find captain Gryphon? Bobby said he was recruiting here.”

Ellen sighed. “Last thing I heard they had all the men they needed, Dean. Are you sure you want to do this?”  
  
Dean nodded. “Please, Ellen. This is my dream, I _have_ to do this!”  
  
Ellen looked down at the alcohol soaked rag and bit her lip. “Alright. You’ll find him on the Dutch fluyt that’s docked on the far East end of the port.You’d better hurry.”  
  
Dean smirked and gave Ellen a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you, Ellen! I love you!” He exclaimed and turned around to run away.

“Dean, wait!” Ellen called after him and ran to the bar in the back of the tavern. Rummaging around and coming back with a sea bag.

“What’s this?” Dean asked as Ellen pushed the, rather heavy, linen bag in his hands.

“Just some… things. Open it up when you’re on board, okay? A little birthday present” She said and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him in a short hug and pressing a kiss on his cheek. “Now run, don’t want to miss your boat.”

“A fluyt is a _ship_ , Ellen. _A ship!_ ” He laughed as Ellen started to push toward the exit of the tavern.

  


Dean ran. This was the ship that was going to change his life. The ship that would at least bring him closer to his family. He didn’t even know if they would take him, but he could feel that this was his destiny. This was where he had to be, where he had to go.

He shouldn’t have ran any slower than he had. When Dean got to the East docks and spotted the high masted fluyt. The rising sun casted long shadows through the masts into the mist and onto the dock. The men on board were already checking the riggings and loading on the last crates and barrels. He ran down the dock and approached the first man he saw.  
  
“Excuse me, sir. I’m looking for the captain of this ship.”

The sailor turned around. He was about the same height as Dean, he had longish dark hair that swooped in his face and tired looking eyes. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at Dean with a judging glare.

“C-captain Gryphon?” Dean tried to explain himself.

The man narrowed his eyes. “What do ya need the cap’n fo?” He asked in an accent that Dean couldn’t quite place.

Dean gulped and tried to straighten his shoulders. “I’m looking for a ship that can take me to India. Ah-I will work for it. It doesn’t even have to go to India. Just to the East, it’s all I need. I swear to-”

“Yea yea…” The sailor interrupted him. “Come with me, lad.” He said and pulled his haver sack over his shoulder as he started to walk over the narrow gangplank onto the ship. Dean had trouble keeping up with him, his bag was heavy and the ship was slightly heaving, making the plank move up and down with it.

“Oi, where’s Gryphon?” The unknown sailor shouted.

“I’m over here, Inias.” A man shouted on the quarterdeck. “What is the matter?”

Dean followed Inias onto the main deck of the Dutch built square rigged fluyt and looked around. The ship wasn’t very big, like every fluyt this ship had high masts and a shallow draft, allowing her to carry cargo into narrow places where other vessels would get stuck. She must’ve been around 80 feet long.

“This lad’s lookin’ fo’ a job.” Inias said.

Gryphon sighed and walked down the stairs and onto the main deck. He wasn’t a very tall man and absolutely didn’t look like a captain of any kind. His dark blonde hair was combed back over his head and he was wearing an old frock coat that raffled at the edges and corners. “Inias, didn’t you tell him we stopped recruiting yesterday.” Captain Gryphon turned to Dean and shook his head. “Sorry boy, we’ve got all the men we need. Find another ship.”

“But captain, please-” Dean tried, but Inias interrupted him.

“Come on, Gabriel. He wants to go to India. Maybe he’s a good lad fo’ _Milton_.” He said, making sure to underscore whatever this Milton was supposed to be. But the name sounded familiar. Maybe it was another merchant captain that Bobby had told him about, Dean wasn’t sure.

Gryphon narrowed his eyes and glanced at Dean. “Milton you say?”

Inias nodded. “I kinda owe him after that last one.”

Gryphon nodded. “Aye, that be true.” He said and frowned at Dean. “Welcome aboard the Whistling Widow, boy.”

Dean smiled. He did it. He was going to India, he was going to find his family and he would be happy again!

“Mr. Bennett?”

“Aye cap’n!” Inias answered.

“To the brig with this one.”

Dean’s smile faltered. “Wa-wait, the _brig?!_ ” He exclaimed, but Inias had already groped his shoulders and was roughly pushing him to the ladder that lead to the- _gun deck?!_ This was supposed to be a merchant vessel! Fluyts weren’t supposed to have any canons, let alone a _brig_.

“P-please, there must be some sort of misunderstanding. Did I say India? I meant Indiana! The state! I’m not supposed to be on a ship. I-I’ll find another way, please don’t lock me up. I have to find my family, you don’t understand!” Dean pleaded, but Inias just laughed and took him further down to the lower deck. Dean missed the last step of the ladder and landed on his face on the rough, moist wood. It reeked of piss and vomit and shit and the brine of the sea. He let go of his heavy sea bag and groaned, praying he didn’t cut his face.

“Get up, ya scallywag!” Inias shouted and kicked Dean in the ribs, making him roll over to his side. He wanted to reach for his bag, but it was being snatched away by a random sailor with an ugly scar on his face.

“This be Milton’s new boy?” He asked with an ugly sneer.

“Aye.” Inias chuckled.

“Better be careful not to ruin that pretty face then.” The sailor said and tossed Dean’s bag over his shoulder. “This be mine now.” He said and spat tobacco in Dean’s face. The smell made him gag and he scrambled to his feet, he was about to lunge at the bastard and give him a piece, but Inias gripped the back of his shirt and pulled him back, turning him around and tossing him back onto the dirty floor with a painful kick to his back.

Dean coughed and wheezed painfully when he inhaled, trying to breathe through his mouth so the smell of the ship wouldn’t make him throw up.

“C’mon, ya rat. Get up, ya heard the cap’n. I gotta get ya in the brig. Sorry, lad.” He said, almost sounding sorry until he started to laugh. “Lesson fo’ the next time, mate. Know who ya be sailing fo’ befo’ getting on the ship.”

On the main deck men were running around, orders were barked and he could hear the rattling of the anchor chain. They were sailing out and Dean was stuck on a ship that wasn’t what it was supposed to be.

Dean’s felt tight to his chest. He was in trouble, big trouble. They never even asked for his name. There was no contract. He was getting locked up in the brig.

And then it clicked into place. The penny dropped and Dean realized what he had gotten himself into.

“Pirates…” Dean breathed.


End file.
